Question

287 viewsApril 17, 2024

tomopheim 66 April 13, 2024 0 Comments

Brit, I recently asked how critical was the swingweight in a set of clubs. For example, should driver and irons be the same through out the set. I have a booklet written by Ralph Maltby entitled “How Golf Clubs Work…” and on page 32 he states that swingweight is one of seven variables that should be considered when buying a set of clubs. I am 77 years old and my club head speed is down to 80 MPH. Should I be trying to keep the swingweight in the C7 range? I understand that with lighter shafts you may need to counter balance the club in order to get the lighter swingweight which kind of negates the lighter shaft in the first place. Does any manufacturer have a lighter driver head than say, 205 grams, so counter balancing would not be necessary with a 50 gram shaft?

Britt Lindsey Answered question April 17, 2024

1 Answer

Answer 1 · 2024-04-17T15:29:05+00:00

As I have said many times, I do not care what the swing weight number is as long as it provides the head feel the player likes. Generally, a driver with an ultralight shaft, like 50 grams, built to 45″ with a 50 gram grip will get you a swing weight of around D2. That is fine as the total weight of the club is just 305g or 10.7ounces. That is light. If you want it to “feel” lighter or swing lighter you can make it shorter, counter balance, use a heavier grip (which is a way to counterbalance), use a lighter shaft, or reduce the head weight. The distance equation is relatively simple and I always will tell someone that is looking for distance that we want to find the longest, lightest driver with the proper loft, that the player can control. Control meaning hit in the center of the face the highest percentage of the time for their ability. So, build the lightest overall weight club that you can, at a length you can control, and let the swing weight be what it is. If you feel you need to adjust the swing weight, that’s fine. It’s not going to make much difference from a distance standpoint, but it can in the way the club feels.

Britt Lindsey